Cancer patients sidelined due to junior doctors’ week-long strike, NHS chief warns

CANCER patients have been sidelined because of the week-long junior doctors’ strike which began yesterday.

The NHS chiefs’ warning comes amid fears the dispute could last months.

Around 30,000 doctors from the BMA union are refusing to work until Saturday as they demand a 35 per cent rise.

More than 250,000 appointments will be cancelled, including for critically-ill cancer patients, as staff focus on life-or-death cases.

Miriam Deakin, of NHS Providers, said: “This is going to be a very long, difficult week.”

Hospital bosses are drafting in GPs, medics, pharmacists and community nurses to cover doctors’ overnight shifts.

Sir Stephen Powis, NHS medical director, warned shift cover is “very fragile”.

Kevin McGee, of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Some cancer activity has had to be cancelled.

“We’re still going ahead with the most urgent care but we’ve had to stand down and prioritise emergency care.”

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the action was timed to cause chaos.

He accused the BMA of deliberately putting patients at more risk by refusing to provide national exemptions for those with cancer.

Downing Street called the demand “unreasonable and not affordable for the taxpayer”.